Drivel the First
I was recently contracted to write a series of web-based articles for a blog that fell through. The subject matter was always different, but followed a fairly similar vein. This is one of the first I wrote while in a snit at mainstream...everything.
What, exactly, is our obsession as a species to be seen?
Everything in our lives, everything we’re conditioned for in Western society, is geared toward sight; the emphasis is placed on how we’re perceived. With the advent of the internet and all of its social playgrounds, it’s become even more so the case. We’re all so visually and irrevocably exposed to each other, to complete strangers even, that it’s become the norm.
The ‘right’ clothes, the ‘right’ hair, the ‘right’ whatever… It’s all come down to a rather specific set of rules, and what we’re permitted to be in terms of successful members of society. We’re indoctrinated very early into a belief of pretty=better, and as such, we invest billions of dollars and hours into maintaining an appearance.
With all this emphasis on being seen, on presenting an appropriate visage, façade, appearance, why are we not taught how to see? Why are we not taught how to properly appreciate what it is that we’re looking at?
For example: it invariably happens that a female associate of SOME variety will strut around in some new…something, and demand to exact an opinion from me. “It looks nice,” is the desired response, but I don’t know how to form a whole picture of what I’m looking at. Instead, all I can come up with is, “Oh, you have the most lovely collarbones,” which I suppose is a rather roundabout way of saying, “I like that shirt.” There’s always a scrunching of eyebrows that follows and some variation of, “…Oh. Well. Thank you?”
But why is it considered strange, a great attention to detail? Why is it that we’re (again, as a culture) trained to be critical and examine only the ‘big picture’? Are the glorious little details not valued if the summation is flawed? It all quite likely boils down to complicated mating rituals of some variety. Why is it such a lopsided affair? Look good, please the general eye…
By and large, our perception of what is ‘attractive’ is, to be perfectly blunt, quite fucked up.
I think, maybe, this is partly why I’m a goth, this love of finding beauty in strange places. Or I could just be here for the black velvet and the bats. Either way.
What, exactly, is our obsession as a species to be seen?
Everything in our lives, everything we’re conditioned for in Western society, is geared toward sight; the emphasis is placed on how we’re perceived. With the advent of the internet and all of its social playgrounds, it’s become even more so the case. We’re all so visually and irrevocably exposed to each other, to complete strangers even, that it’s become the norm.
The ‘right’ clothes, the ‘right’ hair, the ‘right’ whatever… It’s all come down to a rather specific set of rules, and what we’re permitted to be in terms of successful members of society. We’re indoctrinated very early into a belief of pretty=better, and as such, we invest billions of dollars and hours into maintaining an appearance.
With all this emphasis on being seen, on presenting an appropriate visage, façade, appearance, why are we not taught how to see? Why are we not taught how to properly appreciate what it is that we’re looking at?
For example: it invariably happens that a female associate of SOME variety will strut around in some new…something, and demand to exact an opinion from me. “It looks nice,” is the desired response, but I don’t know how to form a whole picture of what I’m looking at. Instead, all I can come up with is, “Oh, you have the most lovely collarbones,” which I suppose is a rather roundabout way of saying, “I like that shirt.” There’s always a scrunching of eyebrows that follows and some variation of, “…Oh. Well. Thank you?”
But why is it considered strange, a great attention to detail? Why is it that we’re (again, as a culture) trained to be critical and examine only the ‘big picture’? Are the glorious little details not valued if the summation is flawed? It all quite likely boils down to complicated mating rituals of some variety. Why is it such a lopsided affair? Look good, please the general eye…
By and large, our perception of what is ‘attractive’ is, to be perfectly blunt, quite fucked up.
I think, maybe, this is partly why I’m a goth, this love of finding beauty in strange places. Or I could just be here for the black velvet and the bats. Either way.